


Blue Moon

by misanthropiclycanthrope



Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-02
Updated: 2013-12-02
Packaged: 2018-01-03 07:07:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1067500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misanthropiclycanthrope/pseuds/misanthropiclycanthrope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James is brooding, Robbie wants to fix him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blue Moon

**Author's Note:**

> Something I scribbled in a rare quiet moment at work, apropos of nothing (:
> 
> (Minor warning for some brief crime scene description.)

“Office romances. They’re just invitin’ trouble, aren’t they?”

Lewis didn’t think Hooper’s comment deserved a response, but the scene before them would have provided damning evidence had the bloke wished to prove the veracity of his statement to a jury of his peers.

Lewis’s gaze flicked instead to Hathaway; the sergeant was stood over the spread-eagled body of one of the victims, a grim expression on his face. It was no different to the look he sported whenever they were faced with the consequences of murder, but Lewis noticed the tight set of his jaw and knew there was something more playing on his mind.

Here, however, was not the place to instigate a conversation about anything other than the investigation of the double murder. In any case, the bloke would only evade the question.

“Let’s stick to the facts, shall we?” Lewis suggested, turning back to the constable. “Go and find out if they’ve got CCTV in this place, will you?”

With an unhappy grimace, Hooper disappeared to do as instructed, but the tension didn’t completely leave the room. Moving over to stand beside his sergeant, Lewis took in the two bodies: one, female, sprawled on the floor with her clothing disheveled – the buttons of her blouse all unfastened – and what could only be stab wounds puncturing her chest; the other, a male, was still seated in the chair behind the office’s desk, but had collapsed forward onto its surface, his head resting in a congealing puddle of blood.

“Thoughts, sergeant?”

Hathaway seemed to shake himself from his reverie, but didn’t meet Lewis’s gaze. “It was a vicious attack, but nothing else looks to have been disturbed. No sign of robbery – the filing cabinets are still locked and the computers still secure – although Gurdip will have to confirm that.” His tone was businesslike, which could be either a good or a bad sign; it was sometimes difficult to tell with James.

So, it looked like Hooper might very well be correct in his assumption.

“We know they were both alive when the rest of the staff left at six last night, and the cleaning lady discovered the bodies this morning at six.” Lewis spoke his thoughts aloud. “Twelve hours. Hopefully Laura might be able to narrow down that time frame a little, but if Hooper gets some video we might find ourselves an even better lead.”

“Hmm.”

Lewis knew Hathaway was giving the scene his full attention, for the man could do no less, but it was also obvious that some part of his mind was still distracted.

“James –”

“Are my ears burning?”

Lewis was interrupted by the arrival of Laura Hobson and he cast one last worried look at James before turning to the pathologist with a smile of welcome.

Both men moved back through to the main room of the insurance company to get out of Laura’s way while she worked, and only a few minutes later Hooper reappeared, brandishing a DVD and a smug smile.

“Got the recording for last night from a camera facing the front door,” he announced, inordinately pleased with his result when it had been Lewis’s suggestion in the first place.

****

Everything moved quickly after that, the case being cracked with a speed that was both satisfying and saddening. It didn’t help that Hooper had been spot on with his hasty conclusion.

The evidence of the CCTV footage showing a woman entering the building at nine p.m. tallied with Laura’s approximate time of death, and the statements of the other staff pointed to one suspect.

“It wasn’t fair, see? He said he loved me, that he was going to put my name forward for the senior advisor’s position. Until _she_ came along with her cleavage and her fake eyelashes and, next minute, _who_ is it that’s up for promotion? No, not me; _her_!”

Most of those words were spat across the interview room’s table with undisguised venom, but Vanessa Hardy otherwise presented a contrasting calmness during her confession that was a little disturbing considering the violence of the attack she had unleashed on her boss and his new lover. As he concluded the interview, Lewis made a note to the effect that, in this case, a psychologist should probably be consulted.

That was the kind of observation Hathaway would normally have contributed, but the bloke had remained stubbornly sullen throughout the investigation and interviews, while still providing his usual conscientious input.

Finally deciding to take it upon himself to shake the man out of his mood, Lewis drove the pair of them back to his place once Innocent was satisfied the case had been wrapped up.

“You’re coming in for a drink,” Lewis informed James as he drew the car to a halt. James followed him inside obediently but silently and waited on the sofa while Lewis poured two glasses of wine.

“You’re very quiet,” Lewis remarked as he handed one of the glasses to James.

“Sorry.” James accepted the wine with a small smile of thanks that did nothing to cover his sombre mood. “Just thinking.”

Lewis sank down beside James. “That’s nothing new.” Neither was his introspective silence, but that didn’t alleviate Lewis’s concern. “What’s up?”

“Do you think _we’re_ inviting trouble?”

Ah. It was no surprise that James was still mulling over the day’s events, and it was just like him to be so fixated on a throwaway comment.

“Since when did you start listening to Hooper?”

“He does sometimes make a valid point.”

Lewis snorted. “Once in a blue moon, maybe.”

“A blue moon occurs approximately every three years.”

Trust James to know a fact like that. “Sounds about right. He has his moments.”

The ghost of a smile passed across James’s face, but, once again, it was nowhere near enough to convince Lewis he had ceased his brooding. He knew the bloke far too well.

“Look, all that today, it was down to lust, jealousy, and perceived favouritism. It’s completely different.”

James looked at him, searching his gaze as if wasn’t entirely convinced of these differences.

“Unless you think Hooper is the jealous sort.”

His attempt at levity went unrecognized; James’s expression only darkened. “But we _could_ be accused of favouritism. Or possibly even blackmailed…”

Lewis cut off any further arguments by clasping James’s free hand in his own. He had already debated all these potential problems in his own mind, several times over, before reaching the conclusion that, whatever may happen, his feelings on the subject – his feelings in general – weren’t going to change. While he wished James wouldn’t dwell on the hurdles facing them either, he took it as a sign that the lad must consider what they had to be serious enough to warrant this worry.

“I’ll be retiring soon anyway, then none of that’ll matter. I’m sure we can continue keeping it a secret until then. That’s if you’re certain…”

James looked suddenly aghast, as if he had just realized he might have given Lewis reason to think he was having doubts. “Of course I’m certain. I didn’t mean – “

“I know, pet.” Lewis’s warm smile was enough to put James at ease.

When James spoke again it was with a quiet voice. “I just don’t want anything to spoil this.”

“Neither do I. So we won’t let it.” Lewis’s tone was serious, his words simple but from the heart, as his grip tightened on James’s hand. “I can’t imagine my life without you in it, James Hathaway.” That wasn’t only true but had been a fact for longer than even Lewis himself had realized.

James smiled and Lewis’s heart leapt at seeing the happiness finally return to the lad’s face. “I never knew you could be so sentimental.”

Lewis pulled a face at his own mushy comment. “Soppy, more like.”

“I like it. I like you.”

“Now who’s being soppy?”

James flashed Lewis an unconcerned grin before leaning into him and resting his head on Lewis’s shoulder. “I think we can allow it. Once in a blue moon.”

Lewis harrumphed and draped an arm around James’s shoulders, holding him close. “Oh, more often than that, I hope.”

He had no intention of waiting approximately three years for another moment like this, and the responding squeeze he received told him he wasn’t alone in that opinion.

**Author's Note:**

> I apologise for not using an 'established relationship' tag, but I preferred it this way (:
> 
> (Because did I really manage to write an established relationship fic? And within the world's shortest case fic!)


End file.
